Award-Winning Judges Announced for Local Writing Contest

Award-winning writers and teachers are set to judge the first tier of the 2014 Golden Nib writing contest, sponsored by Write by the Rails, Prince William County’s chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. Entries are due July 31 and first-place winners elevate to the state-level competition.

Prince William Today/InsideNoVa. Sports Editor David Fawcett will judge non-fiction entries. His awards include 2013 Virginia Press Association’s first place for feature writing portfolio, second place for feature writing story and first place for sports writing portfolio. He’s has been recognized 20 times by the Virginia Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Local Media Association for his writing and he’s covered Prince William County for 25 years.

Fiction entries will be judged by Osbourn High School’s Ann Marie Stippey, English teacher with Manassas City Public Schools for 10 years and the 2014 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Recently named Prince William County Poets Laureate Dr. Robert Scott of Haymarket and Alexandra “Zan” Hailey of Manassas will co-judge poetry entries. Scott is a novelist, poet and English teacher at Osbourn Park High School and Hailey is an undergraduate at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The chapter deadline for Golden Nib is midnight, July 31 and—new this year—submissions will be required in email format in addition to paper format. Also new this year: Entries published in your personal blogs now qualify for consideration.

The original and one copy of each entry should be submitted by regular mail to: Maureen Arvai, The Brandt Group, P.O. Box 10102, Manassas, VA 20108 and ALSO by email to mjarvai@verizon.net . If using an overnight or private delivery service that requires a physical address use this: 9108 Church Street, #10102, Manassas, VA 20108. Please note all entries must be submitted to the local chapter for this first-tier process. Write by the Rails will recognize 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category. First place winners will advance to state level, if they are or become Virginia Writers Club members.

Other requirements: Follow state guidelines, including format, as described hereOne entry per category per entrantFiction category: 3,500 words maximumNon-fiction category: 3,500 words maximum Poetry category: 50 line maximumNo late entries—both paper and email must arrive by midnight, July 31, 2014Manuscripts must be the original, unpublished work of the entrant, and a competition winner.Entries published in your personal blogs are acceptableWriting published in blogs other than your own or on social network sites or in an online publication are ineligibleEntrants must be in good standing of Write by the Rails, as evidenced by attending or volunteering for chapter events and activities. Information on joining available at: www.writebytherails.org